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Episode 01: The First Partner
"The First Partner"' '(はじめてのパートナー, Hajimete no Pātonā) is the first episode of the Plastic Memories anime. It first aired in Japan on April 5, 2015. Blurb In a world in which science is slightly more advanced, 18-year-old Tsukasa Mizugaki lands a job at SAI, a major global corporation. SAI manufactures and manages androids with human emotions, known as “Giftia”, and Tsukasa is assigned to a department called the Terminal Service. It turns out that the department is for deadwood employees, where the main responsibility is to retrieve Giftias reaching their expiration dates. To make matters worse, Tsukasa is partnered with a female Giftia named Isla, who has never given any responsibility other than serving tea to her coworkers. Characters Plot 18-year old Tsukasa Mizugaki meets a silver-haired girl in a shopping mall elevator. She is staring off into the distance as a tear falls from her eye. She realizes that Tsukasa is staring at her and she turns around to face him. In the morning, Tsukasa is on the way to his new job at SAI Corporation, a company known for the production and management of Giftia, androids loaded with synthetic souls. He inquires about the Terminal Service department at the front desk of the SAI Coprorate Headquarters and is pointed to the office of Terminal Service One located in a building behind the headquarters. Tsukasa introduces himself to the administrative staff of the office, which includes Section Chief Takao Yamanobe, assistant Ren Kawarake, and field manager Kazuki Kuwanomi. Kazuki complains to her boss about the introduction of a newbie in the office, especially with a lack of Giftia to partner Tsukasa with. Having been accepted into the job through his father's connections with Mr. Shinya Goudo, General Manager of SAI Corporation, Tsukasa is clueless as to what Giftia are and what the Terminal Service does. They explain that they are responsible for the retrieval of Giftia who before the end of their lifespan. He is introduced to his co-workers Constance, Sherry, and Zack, who are all Giftia, as well as to Michiru Kinushima. As they are debating about what to do regarding Tsukasa's lack of a partner, another Giftia steps into the office to serve tea to the employees. Tsukasa recognizes her to be the same girl she met at the shopping mall. Takao informally introduces her to Tsukasa and suggests that he and Isla be partnered up, something which Kazuki violently protests against. Isla and Tsukasa's partnership is established. He attempts to get to know his partner by asking her what she was looking at when they first met, to which Isla answers "Error. I didn't quite catch that.", which makes Tsukasa wonder if the Giftia in front of her and the one she saw earlier are one and the same. Michiru introduces herself as Tsukasa's trainer, and brings him along with Isla to a retrieval assignment. On the ride to the location, Tsukasa asks questions about the job, and he is introduced to the Marksman and Spotter roles that are played by each member of a retrieval team. Tsukasa asks for a training manual, and Isla hands him her diary, which Tsukasa did not necessarily find useful. Michiru, her partner Zack, Tsukasa, and Isla arrive at the location of their retrieval target Edward. Zack approaches the owners and easily negotiates with them. Hajime and Mari Iwai, Edward's owners, share their farewells before he is retrieved. On the way home, Michiru reminds Tsukasa about the laws that must strictly be followed during every retrieval, and asks him if he understands the gist of the company's workflow already. Tsukasa comments that the job seems easy, but Michiru warns him that he is sorely mistaken. The next day, the two teams head to the house of Chizu Shirohana, the owner of Nina. Michiru complains at how difficult Ms. Shirohana has been making the retrieval for them. They decide to skip her in the meantime, and head to another retrieval target. Even though Michiru says that Isla is a veteran at the job, Isla freezes at the front door of their next retrieval and asks Tsukasa to ring the doorbell for her. They hear the owner and his Giftia attempting to run away, and Isla tries to chase after them by jumping from the building, destroying the apartment's garbage dump in the process. Takao asks them to handle the retrieval more smoothly next time around, and Tsukasa gets a beating from Kazuki who warns him not to push Isla too far. Michiru assures Tsukasa that she will clear his name with the bosses, telling him that she does not want him to quit this early in the job. She also assigns Tsukasa and Isla to handle the retrieval of Nina. Isla tells him to leave the retrieval to her. Isla and Tsukasa spend several days trying to negotiate with Ms. Shirohana, with Isla bringing more and more ways to bribe her every day: tea, tea and cookies, and an entire set of afternoon tea. They are driven away each time, and in a desperate attempt to accomplish the retrieval, Isla trespasses into the Shirohana household. She falls on some bushes and Nina, who is watering the garden, notices her. Chizu warns her that she will call the cops on them if she does not leave, but Nina asks her grandmother to at least let Isla take a shower first. Inside, Tsukasa offers Chizu the options she can avail of in the retrieval. He is cut off, with the lady telling him that she would rather die than lose Nina. Meanwhile, Nina and Isla are having a conversation in the shower. Nina says that she is scared of the retrieval, but that she does not want to cause trouble for her grandmother when she reaches the end of her lifespan. Nina also tells her that she wishes to say goodbye to Ms. Shirohana with a smile. Realizing how selfish she has been acting, Chizu agrees to sign the agreement form and tells Tsukasa to come inside. She also asks Isla to make tea for four, and they spend what is left of Nina's time with drinks and snacks. As she is sitting in the storage chamber of the Terminal Service's vehicle, Nina reminds her grandmother of the things she needs to remember once she is gone. Nina grasps at straws thinking of anything else to say, but Chizu assures her that she will be alright. She gives her grandmother one final goodbye, and Chizu goes back to her home, saying "Thanks." to Isla and Tsukasa as she closes the door. On the ride home, Tsukasa is reflecting on the events of the day, and Isla comments that she knows what he is thinking of. She tells him that she needs to find a bathroom too, commenting that she drank too much tea. A chill runs through her as Tsukasa frantically asks her to try to hold it in. Major Events * Tsukasa meets Isla for the first time * Tsukasa begins working at Terminal Service One * Tsukasa and Isla's partnership as Spotter and Marskman is established * Tsukasa and Isla accomplish their first retrieval with Nina Quotes * "In this moment... I think I've already fallen in love with you, without even knowing your name." —Tsukasa * "Doing this job never feels rewarding. Ripping apart memories... That's our job, after all." —Isla * "If you think every owner signs off so readily on retrievals, you're sadly mistaken." —Michiru * "Maybe you people don't see her as anything but a disposable item, but to me she's the only family I've got!" —Chizu Shirohana * "Grandma, you have to dry your hair right after taking a bath, okay?" —Nina Navigation Category:Anime Category:Episodes __NOEDITSECTION__